In recent years, the U.S. Department of Transportation has launched numerous programs and initiatives to reduce traffic-related fatalities and injuries. Moreover, many states explicitly prohibit talking, text-messaging or playing video games on hand-held mobile phones while driving. Additionally, a number of states, such as California, have passed laws banning or restricting young drivers (under age 18) from using mobile phones, or other types of mobile devices while driving. However, despite these attempts by the federal government and various states from protecting drivers from causing traffic related incidents as a result of cell phone use while driving, it is apparent that many drivers (especially teenage drivers) tend to ignore these rules.
For example, nearly half of all high school students sixteen and older text and email while driving. Moreover, nearly one fourth of teenage drivers say they answer at least one text message every time they drive. In fact, current statistics reveal that eleven teen drivers die every day while texting and driving. Teenage drivers are four times more likely to get into a distracted driving accident than their parents and teen texting and driving makes them twenty-three times more likely to crash.
Accordingly, a system is needed to prevent distracted driving by eliminating cell phone use during driving. While certain technologies exist that help reduce these problems, there are also current technological restrictions for certain cell phones, such as Apple's iPhone® that inhibit a software application's ability to effectively block the operation of the iPhone during a specified time (e.g., while the user of the mobile device is driving).